Editor, Gazette-Journal:

In last week’s Gazette-Journal, supervisor Janine Burns said that challenger Ruth Litschewski was using scare tactics and did not understand the coming septic tank and drain field regulations. Mrs. Burns also stated that property owners, realtors, installers and builders wanted the new regulations.

I hope that Mrs. Burns was just misinformed, because actually it is quite the contrary on all counts. First, alternative on-site systems (AOSS) and existing systems would not meet the standards proposed by the Obama EPA and the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) on non-tidal wetlands. Keep in mind that 70 to 80 percent of Mathews has been declared non-tidal wetland and hundreds of septic systems are in existence in those areas. Only little pockets of property in Port Haywood, the Court House and Dixie at Route 3 would be able to support a system. Even well-drained soil found on the waterfront would be banned from having a septic system because it is in t...